Air India, SIA firm up alliance with frequent flyer agreement
14 Sep 2009
A bilateral agreement between Air India and Singapore Airlines will enable passengers of either carrier to earn and redeem miles on flights operated by the other. Effective Tuesday, frequent flyers on Singapore Airlines and Air India will become eligible for the new scheme.
The agreement is in consonance with conditions laid down for joining the Star Alliance of which SIA is a founder member. Air India has been invited to join the global alliance which has 26 airlines as members. The Alliance was formed in 1997.
The agreement will allow members of SIA's KrisFlyer programme to earn KrisFlyer miles when they fly Air India, or choose to redeem their miles for flights with the Indian carrier, an SIA statement said.
Likewise, members of Air India's Flying Returns programme would enjoy greater choice by having the option of using their miles on the Singaporean carrier or earning miles when they fly on it, it said.
"Singapore Airlines is pleased to welcome Air India on board. The addition of Air India as a KrisFlyer partner boosts the number of carriers we have such agreements with to 28.
"Those who fly frequently with Singapore Airlines and Air India now have more opportunity to increase their frequent flyer miles, and more choice in deciding how best to use their miles," Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines' executive vice president marketing and the regions, said.
SIA operates 42 times a week to six destinations in India. With the inclusion of subsidiary carrier SilkAir, the Singapore Airlines route network covers 93 destinations in 38 countries.